Rise

This first entry in the planned Trifecta series introduces 15-year-old Alexia and her family, witches who belong to the Alerium coven. For Alexia and her siblings, training for the annual “Trials” that test the powers of rising witches is on par with studying for the SATs. Yet, as Alexia hones her spell casting, both with her mentor, Darren, and through an after-school program, she learns more about the secretive “Order” that governs the various covens. When Kaleb, a boy she is dating, reveals that he is a vampire, she must come to terms with what she discovers are deep entanglements between vampires and witches. Almonte excels at making the fantastical seem commonplace, particularly in his empathic descriptions of the pressures and anxieties associated with passing the Trials. The relationship that develops easily between Alexis and Kaleb, along with the tensions among the factions of vampires and witches, will be very familiar to fans of paranormal romance; devotees of the genre should enjoy exploring the world Almonte sets up, even if it doesn’t break much new ground. Ages 12–up. (BookLife)